Slow season start for Polish cross-country skier Kowalczyk
PR dla Zagranicy
Grzegorz Siwicki
26.11.2017 12:53
Poland's top cross-country skier Justyna Kowalczyk made a slow start to the new World Cup season, finishing 24th overall in the Ruka Triple event in Finland on Sunday.
Justyna Kowalczyk in action during the 10 km pursuit freestyle race in Kuusamo, Finland on Sunday. Photo: PAP/Grzegorz Momot
The Pole, a double Olympic champion and a two-time world champion, finished 2 minutes, 40.3 seconds behind Sweden’s Charlotte Kalla, who won the women’s three-stage season opener in Kuusamo, Finland.
Norway’s Marit Bjoergen, the most successful women's cross-country skier in history, was second and another Norwegian, Ragnhild Haga, was third.
The Ruka Triple consisted of a 1.4km sprint classic event on Friday, a 10km interval-start classic race on Saturday, and Sunday’s 10km pursuit freestyle race.
Kowalczyk was 20th in the sprint, 18th in the 10km classic, and 40th in the 10km freestyle.
The 34-year-old Pole, who has four overall World Cup wins under her belt, has said that vying for the World Cup’s Crystal Globe is not a priority for her this season. She is focusing on February’s winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea.
Kowalczyk has five Olympic medals and eight world championship medals to her name, but has been struggling to return to top form ever since she was diagnosed with depression in 2014.
(gs/pk)
Source: TVP 2, Polish Radio